Re: [N8VEM-S100:326] New S-100 8086 Board Done, CPM86+ Done.

Well guys after 3 months of work and 3 prototype S-100 boards later (thanks Andrew!) I think we finally have an 8086 S-100 board we really like. It runs at 8MHz (two IO wait states) on the S100 bus and appears to be very reliable.

Realizing that moving from a Z80 to an 8086 system is difficult for many people I wrote a very extensive 8086 monitor to help you get going. I have written up a fairly detailed step by step process to help people get going. (When the production boards come I will of course add the step by step construction notes).

Also I have written up a complete section explaining how to build a CPM86+ operating system with only an CPM(80) system working.

All necessary files are included.

Realizing that I have been at this so long that I may have overlooked something critical to “first timers”, if you have time, could you browse through the web pages and see if anything is unclear before I announce the system on the usual user groups.

Here are the pages:-

http://s100computers.com/My%20System%20Pages/8086%20Board/8086%20CPU%20Board.htm

http://s100computers.com/Software%20Folder/8086%20Monitor/8086%20Monitor.htm (contains video).

http://s100computers.com/Software%20Folder/CPM86/CPM-86%20Software.htm

Thanks

John

From: n8vem...@googlegroups.com [mailto:n8vem...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Andrew Lynch
Sent: Monday, June 20, 2011 6:33 PM
To: n8vem...@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: [N8VEM-S100:325] S-100 community project

Hi! There is a SCSI-1 to IDE/CF and SD adapter board to help fix this problem. It was a community project over at vintage-computer.com forums. I have the PCBs and sent them off to various builders but none are demonstrated working yet. Not sure what the issue is although I suspect it is mostly just not enough time for the builders to do the build and test to finish the board, demonstrate, etc.

http://n8vem-sbc.pbworks.com/w/browse/#view=ViewFolder&param=MINI%20SCSI%20to%20IDE%20prototypes

The bridge can convert SCSI-1 to and from IDE and/or SD. You could use CF via an IDE adapter.

I have one PCB left and keep hoping one of the builders will be able to bring the project up with some initial software. That would at least get the project started.

Thanks and have a nice day!

Andrew Lynch

From: n8vem...@googlegroups.com [mailto:n8vem...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Douglas Goodall
Sent: Sunday, June 19, 2011 2:47 PM
To: n8vem...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [N8VEM-S100:318] S-100 community project

Regarding the SCSI-1 Adapter, I have been having a very difficult time finding any SCSI-1 drives any more. I have been

trying mostly on eBay, and here is what I have been encountering. Drives are advertised as 40-pin SCSI drives, but after

I buy them and they arrive, they turn out to be FAST SCSI or some form of SCSI-2 that happens to have a 40-pin connector.

I realize I could have asked more questions before buying, and not ended up with a pile this high of 40-pin drives that are

not SCSI-1, but that is my problem.

Everyone else's problem is that the drives are just getting VERY rare out there.

Douglas

On Jun 19, 2011, at 10:03 AM, Andrew Lynch wrote:

Hi! Mike and Douglas have been recently discussing a new idea for an S-100 board. It would be a four port SPI board with space for “mini-boards”. The mini-boards would have a standard SPI interface and allow a variety of SPI chips to be used on small PCB. For instance the ENC28J60 Ethernet adapter, SD cards, various memories, ADCs, DACs, and a variety of other devices.

http://www.mct.net/faq/spi.html

Since John is already fully busy with S-100 8086 CPU board and other projects, I’d like to attempt a new development approach. Since Mike already has a design including a schematic, PCB layout, parts list, etc, we could do a community build and test. Basically this would be we take the existing design, gather up some funds, get some prototype boards, and send them out for initial build and test.

http://8bit.zapto.org/index.php/s100-cards-in-development/nic4-4-port-ethernet-card

Although Mike’s SPI board would make a good starting point, there are a variety of potential S-100 boards in the job queue we could make this way. For instance, Mike has several other S-100 board designs. Also Neil has a neat home brew S-100 serial, parallel, and memory board we could make. Pontus and I have discussed a V9938/V9958 VDP video display board. John and I have discussed a potential S-100 SCSI-1 adapter based on the ZFDC design, a Propeller based S-100 prototyping board, etc. The possibilities are almost endless so if you have an idea for a board this might be the way to get it built.

The initial round of prototype boards will cost $150 for five PCBs from www.33each.com which seems to be a pretty good deal and make top quality prototype boards.

Please post your thoughts, comments, questions, and ideas. Thanks and have a nice day!

Andrew Lynch